Moving Day, Minus the Madness
Moving experts will tell you planning is key when moving and the more organised you are, the better.
25/06/2025
Moving homes can be exciting, sure. But it is
also widely recognised as one of life’s most
stressful events, alongside the death of a loved
one, job loss and even a terminal illness.
So much more than just packing things in
boxes, a smooth move requires weeks of careful
planning and consideration of all the various
elements - from how to safely get your prized
piano to its new home to how to mitigate the
stress on your beloved pets.
Moving experts will tell you planning is key
and the more organised you are, the better. And
part of effective planning is ensuring you have
the right help at hand, not only because many
hands make light work but also there are actual
professional services easily available to lend a
helping hand, such as those found on Sweepsouth,
South Africa’s foremost home services platform.
First things first
Not everyone
is a list person but for those who aren’t a home
move is a great time to experiment with becoming
one!
A game plan - with detailed lists -
is, well, a game changer when it comes to
ensuring a smooth move. Not only does a
checklist help you keep track of everything but
it also makes it easier to delegate tasks to
others and means less chance of forgetting
something crucial. Irrespective of whether your
list is a handwritten one attached to a
clipboard or neatly done on a colour-coded
spreadsheet, it’s less about what it looks like
and more about how it works to keep things
organised and on track.
Plan as far
ahead as possible, considering the move from the
literal A to B. And don’t forget about the admin
in the run-up to the actual day, such as
cancelling the WiFi or informing your insurance
of your new address, for example.
Don’t slack, just pack
The inexperienced mover
may ask “what could be so hard about packing up
your possessions?” While hard to quantify or
explain (it’s one of those “you need to have
been there” things) but the combination of
physical effort, the disruption to an
established routine and, in some cases, the
emotional magnitude of having to deal with our
things, can be far more complex (and tiring!)
than one imagines.
To this end, it helps
to go about the packing process smartly and
systematically. Start packing well ahead of
time, label each box or bag clearly and,
whatever you do, resist the urge to just throw
random things together. Your future self will
thank you for the effort in this regard more
than you can imagine in that moment of putting
the colander and the TV remote in the same
"miscellaneous" box.
Take care with
fiddly fixtures and fittings like screws and
brackets. Consider placing them in sealable
plastic sandwich bags, and stick appliance and
gadget wires down with tape to prevent them from
dangling about while being moved. Large bin bags
work well for transporting clothes -
particularly transparent ones. Simply slip
hangers with clothes on into a large bin bag and
tie a few hangers together with a rubber band
for easier carrying.
And when it comes
to precious or fragile items like jewellery,
personal electronics and even important
documents, consider taking those in your car or
on your person to ensure extra safety.
Outsourcing is your friend
Moving isn’t
the time for being the DIY hero. Doing it all
yourself is stressful and frankly, unnecessary.
Sweepsouth recently added Moving
Cleaning services to its offering, which means
it’s as easy as booking a trusted Sweepstar to
take care of the cleaning for you - whether
you’re moving out or in, though it’s the smart
move both ways.
“Let’s face it, moving
is stressful enough without having to worry
about the cleaning too. Our Moving Cleaning
service is convenient, thorough and reliable,
and means you have one less thing to do,” says
Lourandi Kriel, CEO of Sweepsouth.
Research on the most stressful events in life
places moving home right at the top. In fact, in
a survey done by US-based market researchers
OnePoll, respondents pegged moving home as more
stressful than divorce or having kids. Minimise
the toll of a move by hiring competent help on
the day, advises Kriel.
“Leaving the
space you’re moving out of is tidy and clean
makes a good impression with potential buyers,
landlords or new tenants. Hiring a cleaner to
help you sweep floors, dust, and wipe down
counters frees you up to focus on all the other
logistics of moving day. Bear in mind too that
empty properties being moved into are often
dirtier than you'd expect, so they typically
need a deep and thorough cleaning of all rooms,
surfaces, cupboards, and hard-to-reach areas.
Ideally you want to leave your old space
spotless as much as you want to move into a
sparkling clean home,” adds Kriel.
D-day and the art of a moving-day survival kit
Extend the supreme organisation around your move
to the actual day too.
Moving days are
exhausting so aim for a good night’s rest before
and then start the morning with a balanced
breakfast. Take regular breaks, drink plenty of
water and don’t skip lunch. You want to keep
your energy levels up!
It is also a good
idea to assemble a survival kit - pack a box of
essential items to see you through the day and
your first night, and keep it in your car for
easy access. Consider these items: a phone
charger, screwdriver, sharp knife for opening
boxes, glasses and mugs, a kettle, provisions to
make hot drinks, cleaning cloths, bin bags,
washing up liquid, toilet rolls, and a small
medical kit.
Breathe and embrace
When the day comes, the best you can do is the
old “keep calm and carry on”. Accept ahead of
time that the day will be hectic and make sure
to breathe deeply and accept it for what it is.
Music is a mood booster, and listening
to music you love triggers feel-good chemicals
that make you happy and less anxious so consider
creating a playlist ahead of time. If you don't
have time to collate a playlist, type terms like
‘Happy Hits’, ‘Mood Booster’, or ‘Good Vibes’
into Spotify and slot into a bouncy, energetic
playlist. It’s one way to banish moving day
blues and embrace it as the start of a new
chapter in a new home.